Kimkim Trip Reviews for Scotland

First of all, we would like to thank Rachael from the bottom of your hearts. She did a wonderful job from the planning of the trip, the zoom call to finalize, and checking on us during the trip. Everything was perfect. Each room was perfect from the Apex in Edinburgh, Tall Pines in Pictlockary, Raasay House, and Glenview B and B in Luss. The castles were amazing from Stirling to Inverary. The scenery along the trip was breathtaking. We hike several trails on Raasay. The climb from the ocean to the top of temptation was a great hike. Touring the distillary on Raasay and at Oban were wonderful. The tasting at Raasay with whiskey and chocolates was a highlight the trip. The town of Luss was beautiful with flowers blooming outside of the houses.
We would highly recommend Kim Kim and Rachael to everyone who is planning a trip. It will be several years before we can plan our next trip to England. We will be contacting Rachael and Kim Kim when we start planning that trip.

Hotel Review

Pine Trees Hotel

Pitlochry

The room was perfect and the breakfast was wonderful. We arrived at Pine Trees before the rain started. After we were in the room, the rain began and sitting in the room listening to the rain was so relaxing. The hotel had snacks set out and a tea pot in the room. So afternoon tea was so enjoyable.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful interior

Location

Peaceful

Staff

Very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perfect

Activity Review

Raasay Whisky, Gin and chocolate tour

Scotland

The chocolates were perfect with the whiskey

Quality of Experience

Staff was great

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All were great

Transport

This was our 10th world tour for our Taekwondo group, and it was the best! We have had several good agents in the past, but dealing with KimKim has been, by far, the best! Jane Davey and Celina were so helpful and on top of everything, that with my wife's skills, made this the most hassle-free trip we have ever been on.

Even during our trip to Scotland, the incredible agents were there for us, ready to answer any questions, or take care of any little problems that came up (which was minimal).

Jane's suggestions and guidance, and Celina's excellence in coordinating the hotels and activities was amazing! If there was some kind of special award in the travel field, they should be the winners hands down!

Thanks so much KimKim for being at the right place at the right time when we were searching for experts to help us on our complicated journey of our group 49 martial artists travelling so far from Colorado!

When we plan our next trip, there is no question of where we will start!

Hotel Review

Boat Country Inn and Restaurant

Aviemore

The friendliest, helpful staff in Scotland! We will be back! They made our time so memorable!

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful!

Location

Staff

The kindergarten teacher who did our breakfast time was incredible! Thanks!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Stirling Castle Tickets

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Dolphin Watching Expedition

Inverness

It was obvious there were going to be no dolphins to see, but the boat ride was fine.

Quality of Experience

Three Isles Tour – Mull, Iona & Staffa

Oban

Quality of Experience

Private Driver Guide - Heritage Tour - Fully Bespoke

Scotland

Can't beat James Gray! He took care of and energized us during our time in Oban! Knowledgeable and fun! I'd love to play music with him anytime!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Salome at High Point Holidays helped me plan an incredible trip to Scotland. We visited cities and villages we had not visited before and had wonderful excursions and experiences. On our arrival day in Edinburgh, tour guide Chris Walker met us at our hotel and took us on a walking tour of the Royal Mile. Chris was full of great stories and information about the Royal Mile and was an absolute delight. He even called a local restaurant and arranged a dinner reservation for us. We elected not to rent a car so Salome tailored our itinerary so we could take advantage of the excellent rail services. All of our tickets were purchased for us and all the details were included in our Road Book. It was much easier than we expected to travel by rail. St. Andrews was our first stop. We stayed at the lovely Albany Hotel steps away from the cathedral ruins and the castle. The shopping and dining options abounded even for someone like me who eats gluten-free. In Pitlochry, we enjoyed the Black Spout trail and waterfall. Next, we had a 5 star falconry experience at the Bird of Prey Center in Loch Lomond. We had a whole hour with a falconer and three different gorgeous birds. The center is an absolute treasure for educating the public and conserving the world's birds of prey. Our final city was Sterling. We enjoyed visiting the Wallace Monument and climbed all the way to the crown! Our visit to Sterling Castle was grand. The history of this majestic palace and military stronghold is so impressive. Edinburgh Executive Travel handled our incoming and outgoing airport transfers in plush comfort.

Hotel Reviews

The Stirling Highland Hotel

Stirling

This hotel is advertised as a 4 star property. Our bedroom at this hotel was dark, rundown and not well maintained. The draperies were hanging askew, the linens and towels were not as nice as all the other places we stayed, and the carpet was stained. The bathroom was particularly disappointing. The wooden panel fronting the tub was chipped and unsightly. On the positive side, the buffet full English breakfast was very good.

Authenticity & Character

As a former high school, the building has tons of character.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our bedroom at this hotel was dark, rundown and not well maintained. The draperies were hanging askew, the linens and towels were not as nice as all the other places we stayed, and the carpet was stained. The bathroom was particularly disappointing. The wooden panel fronting the tub was chipped and unsightly.

The Frederick House Hotel

Edinburgh

Comfortable and classic. Clean and well maintained.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the old city

Cleanliness & Comfort

Modern bathroom, beautiful linens, clean

Activity Reviews

Private transfer in town

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Comfort and professionalism. It was such a welcome luxury to begin and end our trip with this service.

National Wallace Monument visit

Scotland

Quality of Experience

The monument is awe-inspiring. Just do it--climb the spiral staircase and visit the history on each level. The crown is incredible!

Sea Safary around the Isle of May

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pedro was an amazing source of knowledge about the birds and seals.

Transport

The boat trip was just super fun.

Private Walking Tour of Edinburgh with a Top Local Guide - Two hours

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Chris Walker is personable and so knowledgeable. He went above and beyond by suggesting a restaurant and calling to make a reservation for us.

Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Centre Flying Experience

Scotland

We had an incredible hour with our guide. It was just the two of us, our falconer and three gorgeous birds. We learned so much about the birds and had plenty of time to admire each one up close.

Quality of Experience

The staff is amazing and dedicated to educating the public. The center is so clean and well-maintained. It is so obvious the birds are receiving the best care.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The staff at the center are taking excellent care of the birds and the facility

We had the most amazing experience on our trip to Scotland. Thank you to Jane and Celina for working with us to create such an incredible trip. We took a group of 49 Taekwondo students and family members from the Colorado Taekwondo Institute on a 10 day trip to Scotland where we visited Stirling for 2 days, Aviemore and Inverness for 3 days and Oban for 3 days. Our trip was seamless. Our excursions and activities had just the right balance and we were able to include many meals for our group. We even got to visit the highland games at Drumtochty Castle and do a demonstration for the crowd. Another highlight of our trip was having a special guide on the last full day of our trip. James Gray was amazing.

Where to start: the guides, Gareth in Edinburgh, William and Dr Murray in Stirling, and Nathan in Glencoe were all amazing. They were quite knowledgeable in their fields , full of funny and interesting stories and set their pace so Grandma could keep up,

Favorite large city Stirling was the best. We were lucky enough to be touring on Armed Forces Day. Not only did we have Stirling Castle and Wallace Monument but the joy of the marching soldiers, bagpipes and dancers. It was wonderful. We also had a great meal at the Allen Park. Almost forgot, we also had a fun evening at a pub with many sailors who were heading out to sea the next day.

Accommodations; loved them all but one. Inverness hotel was not our favorite. No parking except a couple of blocks away. Our family room was not in the main building. We had to walk upstairs into the building then downstairs to our basement room. Not the best situation. We really liked the No 17 Promenade in Plockton. Nice rooms, great meal, pretty town to walk about.

Best Day: Isle of Mull. As you know our search for the “hairy coos” was not going well. The girls kept doing internet searches and found the beach for swimming and coos roaming about. Love Scotlands right to roam because that’s what we did. We were on roads that were nothing more than cow paths but finally arrived and were rewarded with lots of coos. Jennifer headed to the Laggnan (sp) beach and swam in the Irish Sea. Carol Ann and I spent lots of time communing with the coos. Such gentle, curious animals. We then joined Jen on the beach and the coos followed us. The babies played then they all laid down for a rest. It was perfect . After so much time there, We only had time to visit the weavers on Mull and spend lots of money. Never even made it to Iona

The Tallisker distillery tour was not very good. The guide spoke too fast and was quite hard to understand.

We did all the hikes. I had some difficulty at the end of Arthur’s Seat and old man of Stor and didn’t quite make it to the top. The girls did though. The downhills were very hard on my old knees. The Fairy Pools were rushing with water. We never saw Divitch (sp) falls but we hiked to the top and down for 6 miles. Loved the gentle stroll with Nathan in Glencoe and the hike we did near Luss and Loch Lomond.

Greatest disappointment other than leaving Scotland was the lack of time we had walking around all the little towns we stayed in. We were always exhausted at the end of our day.
We wish we had more time at Culloden and Cawder Castle. One hour at each was not enough time.

I’m sure I have missed something but I think you get the idea it was a wonderful holiday for all of us. Your team did a great job helping us plan this marvelous visit to Scotland. So much so, we want to come back. Thank you.

Now for the business end. Can I get an itemized account of our trip? Also, since we didn’t do the Jacobite Train do we get a refund? Will definitely use KimKim again. Rosemary Carrico

Aleksandra,
Sorry it has taken me so long to post, really busy..

Our trip was amazing. We love the places we went. On Isles of the Sky we got re-routed because 2 vans got stuck on a one car road, they were going opposite directions.. It was the best we then decided to go to Dunvegan Castle & Gardens (stunning) and Neist Point Cliff Lighthouse... It was great... Our favorite was Ireland, we are outdoor people and it was beautiful... We did like CLiffs of Moher, but loved Clifs of Kilkee more. You had less people and got closer to the cliffs...

It is quite interesting how the people of Northern Ireland speak alot of the history. It is still very fresh in their minds, even though the rest of the world it seems to have happened a long time ago..

Loved the people in Scotland and Ireland very kind people...

Thank you so much for making the trip special, you did a great job...

Activity Reviews

The Johnnie Walker Signature Experience

Edinburgh

Causeway Coast & Antrim Adventure Private Tour

Scotland

Belfast Private Walking Tour

Belfast

Private Glasgow Essentials Tour

Scotland

Loch Ness Cruise and Urquhart Castle

Scotland

Every guided tour was excellent. Every transfer was on time with helpful & courteous people. Everything was as planned; expectations met and exceeded.

Hotel Reviews

The Haymarket Hotel

Edinburgh

Great location, great breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Built 1850s

Location

Walking to center city, near train station, near trolly stop

Staff

Clean daily, quick breakfast

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds not the best, very stiff

Bearnock Lodge

Charming, beautiful, fully equipped, extremely comfortable beds

Authenticity & Character

150 years old

Authenticity & Character

150 years old

Location

Deep in the Highlands country

Location

Deep in the Highlands country

Staff

No staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Transfer

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bambough and Alnwick Castles & the Borders

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Best of York

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Highland Coo Tour

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Edinburgh Castle & Old Town Private Tour

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

None

Highlands Day Tour from Inverness

Inverness

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Isle of Skye Tour including the Eilean Donan Castle, Portree and other attractions

Inverness

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Loch Ness Tour

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kateryna (our KimKim agent), created an incredible and unforgettable UK adventure for us. We explored South England to Northern Scotland by rental car, train, sleeper train, bicycle and boat. This is the second time we have used KimKim to plan our travels and this once again did not disappoint. We will not hesitate to reach out agin when planning for our next destination!

We had such a memorable trip from start to finish! It’s really hard to pick out favorites! Our walking tour through Edinburgh was fabulous. It was just the two of us with our guide Garreth. He goes by The Edinburgh Expert which is fitting. He was knowledgeable, funny, and loves the city which he does conveys so well. We also enjoyed our drive to the Fife area and all the coastal towns. The fish and chips were maybe the best we’ve ever had and the stop at Dunino Den was fun and surprising. We drove just under 1000 miles from the east coast to the west. All for us on the “wrong” side of the road! Lots of narrow, curvy roads and roundabouts of all sizes. Getting to see so much of the beautiful landscape is probably what we remember fondest.

Hotel Reviews

The Highland Club

Fort Augustus

The Scott

Edinburgh

Great location with beautiful rooms and delicious breakfasts.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Edinburgh Food & Drink Tour

Edinburgh

St Andrews Walking Tour of the Old Course

St Andrews

Meet the Highland Cows

Scotland

This was a great experience. The owner is very passionate about the cows and the environment. Plus, you get some homemade ice cream at the end!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking Tour of Edinburgh with a Top Local Guide

Edinburgh

One of our favorite experiences from our trip!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kate at KimKim planned a two week self guided/train tour of the UK. We provided our interests and Kate planned our itinerary. Kate nailed it the first time. The hotels were outstanding. Our private guides were awesome, especially Jacob in Oxford, Allen in Edinburgh, John in Inverness, and Delianne in London!
Kate was comminicating with us throughout the tour and answered a few minor questions we had as we moved through the stops. We couldn't have asked for more! Onto the next trip!!

Activity Reviews

Discover London in a Private Black Cab

London

The private black cab tour in London with Chris was phenomenal. He curated a tour that complemented our existing itinerary and took us to unique spots we wouldn't have discovered on our own. His flexibility and knowledge made this a standout experience during our time in London.

Isle of Skye Tour including the Eilean Donan Castle, Portree and other attractions

Inverness

The day trip to the Isle of Skye was quite an experience, even though the weather was miserable with big raindrops and howling wind. Our tour guide was fantastic and made the trip enjoyable despite the weather, embracing the natural harshness of the Isle's climate. The scenery and sites were amazing, and it made for a memorable adventure.

Private Viking Walk of York

England

The Private Viking Walk of York with Neil was a bit overwhelming. While Neil was a nice guy and took us to interesting spots, he overwhelmed us with too much detailed information. His lengthy speeches and the tour running over time left us a bit exhausted. A more concise approach would have been appreciated.

Our family trip to the land of our ancestors in Scotland was a tremendous success, thanks in large part to our local specialist, Jane Davey, and her associate, Marine-Héloïse, who helped create a truly one-of-a-kind experience. The trip took a great deal collaboration and planning beforehand, but with their expertise we were able to put together the perfect trip for our family. Jane and Marine also connected us with Graeme Clive of Kilted Piper Tours who guided us for five days of our journey, including the Isle of Skye which was one of the real highlights of the trip. We enjoyed visiting many historic castles and their gardens, as well as the tasting experiences of visiting several scotch whiskey distilleries. Overall, we learned a great deal about the history of Scotland and our ancestors (including visiting some of the film locations of the television series Outlander which we were great fans of). We highly recommend working with Jane and Marine if a tour of Scotland is in your future!

My input was included with Rae's. Overall a very memorable and fun experience. Kimkim reduced the stress and found nice places to stay.

Hotel Review

Tulloch Castle Hotel ‘A Bespoke Hotel’

Dingwall

A very friendly and fun place to stay! We did not get to see the green lady ghost, but we had a great room...

Authenticity & Character

Location

Our of town

Staff

very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

good food and bar

Activity Reviews

Tickets to British Museum

London

I was glad we went, however a few hours is not nearly enough time. It would take days to see the place. I did not especially like the "layout" of the exhibits, however it was impressive.

Quality of Experience

Glen Afric, Culloden & Clava Cairns From Inverness

Inverness

Much better than I anticipated. Well worth the time. Culloden was an emotional experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Scotland was very enjoyable and by the end we felt like we had covered a lot of territory and had a good sense of the country and people. We enjoyed our tours and had an especially good guide (Duncan) on a Rabbie tour to the Isle of Skye. He gave amazing backgrounds on the landscape, history and music. He knew when to talk and when to let us just enjoy the views. Edinburgh was a good ending to the trip and while there we especially enjoyed Holyrood Palace and hiking up Arthur's Seat. The Johnny Walker tour was an unexpected sensory show that we enjoyed.
Perhaps the only complaint was the lack of air conditioning at the last hotel we stayed at. Room got warm and stuffy and opening windows on a busy street in downtown Edinburgh didn't offer a good solution. The hotel was cute but their kitchen was also a bit overwhelmed at breakfast and not as good as other places.
Thanks Jane and thank you Kimkim for another great trip

Aleksandra did a fantastic job designing our 3-week travel through Central Scottish Highlands and its adjacent islands! Scotland is gorgeous and its landscapes and views are magical with “four seasons in a day” weather pattern. We are already planning to go back to North Scottish Highlands with Aleksandra’s help in 2028.

We are quite particular about what we want to do (avoiding touristy towns and places as much as possible), hiking opportunities, distillery experiences, accommodations that have beautiful and dramatic views in quiet and/or isolated locations. Aleksandra nailed them all for us!!! We couldn’t be happier in each location! The pace was perfect! In the first draft of itinerary, I asked her “why are we staying at Loch Lomond for 4 nights?” Well, she knew we needed 4 nights/5 days to explore the beautiful loch and the surrounding area for hiking!

Throughout the 3-week journey, she was just a phone call and text away assisting us when we needed. She was always available for us like a magic! What a comfort it was to have her watching over our back!

Thank you, Aleksandra for giving us the fabulous memory of Scotland!!!

Hotel Reviews

Atholl Arms Hotel

Dunkeld, Perthshire

A wonderful hotel with great decor at a great location with riverfront bar, etc. in quaint village of Dunkeld. We enjoyed our stay very much.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bynack

Aviemore

This is a spacious 2-bedroom cabin with a large kitchen. It was a comfortable place to stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

There was no one to interact with.....

Cleanliness & Comfort

Plockton Inn Hotel

Ross-shire

A quaint hotel in the quaint village of Plockton. The room was very comfortable and the staff was very friendly and helpful with my food allergy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Atlantic Drift - Isle of Skye - Amazing Sea views

Glendale

We loved this cottage so much that we cut a few things from our schedule to stay at the cottage, walk around the neighborhood, chat with wonderful host and hostess. This cottage was our fondest place to stay!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pods at Port nan Gael

Pennyghael

The small pod is cleverly designed and very functional with a great view.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

No 17 The Promenade

Oban

Absolutely beautiful hotel with amazing decor. Our room was very spacious looking over the Oban Bay. We could really relax in the room looking at the beautiful view.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Loch Lomond Waterfront Luxury Lodges

Balmaha

This is a great cottage on the quiet side of Loch Lomond. The cottage was well designed and functional.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Six Brunton Place Bed and Breakfast

Edinburgh

This is an intimate and quiet place with an amazing host.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

The Cairn Distillery Tour & Lunch

Aviemore

What a modern and stylish distillery with beautiful views everywhere! We really enjoyed the tour incorporating audio and visual, highly stylish tasting room, followed by a fabulous lunch spread!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Talisker Distillery

Scotland

Horseback Riding in Highlands

Scotland

Our riding guide was such a character and we were definitely entertained!

Ben Nevis Distillery Tour

Scotland

Torabhaig Distillery Tour

Scotland

Collection Tour and Tasting at Glengoyne Distillery

Scotland

Holyrood Distillery Tour

Edinburgh

Jane and Gabrella pieced together an impressive itenerary. Rather than visiting normal sites, we threw them a curve requesting to leave the beaten path so we could stay in castles and see lands our ancestors once owned. But of course, we also wanted to see all the major sites. They pulled it off with remarkable brilliance. The accommodations were tailored to mesh with our historical agenda and the hosts were amazing, yet the locations were conveniently close to venues and tour meeting points. They selected such great tour companies, we quickly learned to expect above average guides. Of some 20 plus guides and drivers we only had two I would classify as adequate, the rest were exceptional.

Highlights were so numerous it's difficult not to mention them all. Definitely staying the the Tullock Castle which had been in the family from the 1500s to the 1700s was near the top, finding ancestral inscriptions in the Tower of London is something we will never forget, and expecting to see the changing of the guards but being treated instead to many 100s of soldiers, guards, musicians, and mounted horsemen all in uniform rehearsing for the King's birthday was particularly momentous. Those were all great experiences but as for actual sites, Clava Cairns, Culloden, everything in York, Stirling Castle, and the American Cemetery at Normandy were probably at the top of the list.

Hotel Review

Tulloch Castle Hotel ‘A Bespoke Hotel’

Dingwall

While not huge like King's castles, or as grand as Duke and Earl's castles it was genuine and authentic, more like a baron's castle. The hosts were welcoming and the chef was remarkable. We were treated to the best meal we had on the entire trip there. Besides the restaurant, there is a separate bar which has a different menu. Our room had a four poster bed and a large, very modern private bathroom. I would caution you to read the room descriptions carefully as you can stay in everything from servants quarters, which are very small, to a grand two bedroom suite. This is one hotel where you will get what you pay for. There is a small family museum on premises which remains locked, but you can get a key if you are interested. I highly recommend the Tullock Castle and would definitely return if I'm ever near Dingwall again.

Authenticity & Character

Retention of as much of the historic nature as possible, while adding modern amenities

Location

It had great views, but it is out of town a way so it's better if you have transportation if you plan to stay several days and see other sites.

Staff

They were extremely welcoming. They were also very responsive and extremely polite. There was a couple who booked servants quarters, but were expecting a four poster bed room and demanded to be upgraded. Tullock is in high demand and was already sold out for the season. Yet despite them raising their voices and demanding a different room, they simply became even more polite and gently explained they couldn't kick someone out of their room and they didn't have an upgrade to offer.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bathroom was large, bright, clean and had a great view!

Activity Reviews

Palace of Versailles Day Trip with Priority Access – Half-Day Tour

Paris

Most certainly opulent!! Line skipping was nice, guide was knowledgeable but excessively wordy. It was very, very hot and very very crowded so we were stuck listening to someone drone on forever we oft could not even see. The tour itself was great, but our guide not so much so. We were supposed to have 4 hours there, but 2.75 of that was listening to the guide get off track and tell personal stories, leaving us only 1.25 hours to explore the rest of the palace, find some place to eat, visit the gardens, the grand and petit trianon and Marie-Antoinette's hameau. We did get fed, saw some of the gardens but missed the rest which I was really wanting to see.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Less wordy guide

Transport

Normandy Day Trip from Paris with D-Day Beaches and Traditional Lunch with Cider

Paris

It's a long day from Paris, especially with the number of traffic issues we experienced. The beaches, bunkers and memorials we were allowed to see were great, but we were hurried along and told not to read the signs; they were supposed to provide links instead, but never did. The cemetery was sobering but pristine. The lunch stop was good and since lunch was included in our tour it was a treat.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hampton Court Palace - Half Day Tour - With return transport

London

It got cancelled due to lack of people signed up.

Tower of London, Changing of the Guard, River Cruise, St. Paul's Cathedral & Optional London Eye

London

The Tower of London tour turned out to be a highly unexpected experience complete with a stunning discovery. Our entire trip was historical in nature as we were tracing some of Mark's family history roots. Edward Seymour (brother to Jane and Lord Protectorate for Edward VI who was Henry VIII and Jane's son) and John Dudley who served as the de facto regent and ruler of England after he orchestrated the downfall of Edward Seymour were both beheaded during those turbulent times. Edward and John were Mark's 12th and 13th great grandfathers from different lines of his family. In the Tower of London prison, the largest and most elaborate etching on the wall carved in by various prisoners, belonged to John Dudley! It was one of the top two highlights of the entire trip! As if that wasn't enough, our version of the Changing of the Guard was extreme. Instead of a few, we got to see 100s of uniformed guards, military members, musicians and horsemen rehearsing for the King's Birthday. We had a front row seat for their practice parade at its inception so we could see the pre-staging as well. That was unexpectedly precious. St. Pauls was a nice surprise due to its ornate interior, the American Memorial Chapel and knowledgeable guide. Then end this tour, the river cruise included seeing the raising of the Tower Bridge so a sail ship could pass through. Remarkable day.

Tickets to British Museum

London

HUGE museum and was initially surprised it was arranged by country. However, considering at its peak, the British Empire ruled over 23% to 24% of world lands it's understandable. It houses an impressive display of artifacts from all over the world (over 100 countries). You would need two or three weeks to see it all. I will admit I came away feeling, "wow, those should be returned to the Iroquois," and "I wonder why Greece and Iraq haven't asked for their artifacts back?"

Tickets to Westminster Abbey

London

Westminster Abbey serve as the coronation site for British Royals. It is a soaring, magnificent, gothic church which cannot be experienced by simply looking at pictures. It also serves as the resting place for over 3000 notables, including kings and queens. It is a must do at least once in your lifetime.

Yorkshire Dales Small Group Tour from York

York

What an incredible day. Gorgeous scenery, Bolton Castle and the Wensleydale Cheese Factory were the highlights. It was an 8 hour tour and I wish it had been 10 so we could have stopped more to take pictures. The Wensleydale cheese really was extraordinary.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Stirling Castle Tickets

Ireland

What stands out is its significant historical status. It is way more immersive and engaging than other castles. It has seen extensive restoration and is rich in royal history sitting at the heart of Scottish history. It not only served as a primary residence for the Stewart/Stuart dynasty, it was also a critical military stronghold.

Quality of Experience

So well done. We enjoyed a complete self guided experience.

A Daytrip to the West Highland Lochs & Castles

Edinburgh

The West Highlands were delightful. Being on the bonny, bonny banks of Loch Lomond, Inveraray and Doune (Outlander) Castles and the Rest and Be Thankful Pass with its stunning views and interesting story were the highlights.

Quality of Experience

Great fellow travelers, good guide, comfortable small bus.

Stonehenge & Bath Day Tour (including Roman Baths)

London

The Stonehenge and Bath Day Tour was impressive. I was warned Stonehenge was a free for all, but those folks had visited many years ago. Today it is well managed, traffic and parking is not an issue and the Visitor's Center is a gem. If you go, make SURE you see the 360 degree short film on Stonehenge before you go out to the site. The new displays, showing huts which would have been similar to what the workers would have stayed in enhanced the experience. Bath itself and the Roman Baths are intriguing. I especially enjoyed going underground and seeing the old Roman structures. The little interpretive stops were great in explaining how the old plumbing worked. It is another definite must do.

Edinburgh Castle Tickets

Edinburgh

Such an interesting place, very crowded but still worth the time to enjoy. To fully appreciate it, you need to take the time to see it all, the military fortress and batteries, the tradesmen quarters, royal palace and crown jewels, the tribute to Scottish warriors, St. Margaret's Chapel, prisons, museums etc.

Quality of Experience

The Isle of Skye & Eilean Donan Castle

Inverness

Interesting to be in the Isle of Skye and see Eileen Donan Castle. It was a day full of history and sites. Getting to drive through valleys where actual battles took place made it easy to see how they would have developed. The Donan Castle is different in that the exterior was re-created to be as close to the original as possible complete with dropping streaks. The interior is modern and a destination house for a family. The stop in Portree and getting to see several Highland "Coos" was a special treat.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Glen Afric, Culloden & Clava Cairns From Inverness

Inverness

Two of our top five activities were included in this day trip, Clava Cairns and Culloden. The sheer intrigue and age of Clava Cairns left a permanent impression. The visitor's center at Culloden was well done from both perspectives. The dramatic change to Scotland's future path was handled well. Walking the battlefield and finding various clans brought the battle to life. We were also finally able to make a connection as to why Tullock Castle was "lost" to our family in 1746.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Canal and Loch - Loch Ness Tour with Urquhart Castle included & Bus to Inverness

Inverness

Bus ride to the boat ride, plus stopping and getting off the boat to see the castle, time for the visitors center and bus ride home was well planned and a great deal of fun.

Welcome to Dingwall

Dingwall

Already reviewed the Tullock Castle Hotel, but the town was delightful as well. They have a really nice local museum

Kimkim handled our much personalized trip flawlessly! Kateryna, our agent, was wonderful, she took the time to learn about my wife and my needs/expectations and devised our once in a lifetime trip. The local guides that she hired for us could not have been better. The highlight of our trip was a daytrip visit to our ancestors lands and the guide (Elaine) was simply amazing!!! She took an enormous amount of time pre-planning our day and included some amazing xtras too! We had several tour guides over our trip and they were all extremely knowledgeable and accomodating thank you all (John, John, Ritchie and Liberty) ! And again thank you Kimkim for this amazing experience!!

This is the first time I have had a travel company book a trip for me. It was so worth it! Liam from Highpoint Travel put together an amazing itinerary for us. He was always available for hiccups. Every hotel and tour booking was spot on! He booked us in a variety of hotels at great locations. There were some tours I would like to especially highlight. The Hebridean Farm Hike with Karen Elwis was especially memorable. Karen was absolutely charming, informative and fun. She even pulled my leg out of a mud sink hole and cleaned my shoe:) She has to be a definite booking for anyone travelling to the Isle of Mull. Additionally, Steve with Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safaris in Aviemore was amazing. We covered so much in our four-hour safari. Steve, too, was informative and fun. Booking with Steve is a must for the Cairngorms National Forest. Our Edinburg tour guide Garreth was wonderful. He took us off the beaten path and it was so fascinating. Also, our Stirling Castle tour guide Bruce gets two thumbs up. Really enjoyed our tour with both of them. And our Glencoe tour guide Hannah was very sweet and patient with my level of hiking. And loved her dog Inka.

Hotel Reviews

Douglas Hotel

Brodick

Loved this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Isle of Mull Hotel and Spa

Isle of Mull

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Courtyard by Marriott SEC

Glasgow

The hotel was in a great location. Very clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Absolutely loved David Rose. He checked us in and was incredibly helpful. I can't say enough about Aeden Doig in the bar/restaurant. He was such a joy. Fun and engaging. Took good care of us. As did Anja. She was an absolutely charming and a wonderful server!!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Oban Bay Hotel

Oban

Great hotel. We were there for such a brief time.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The reception staff and the bar staff were wonderful. Loved them.

Cleanliness & Comfort

RiverBeds - Luxury Wee Lodges with Hot Tubs

Ballachulish

Loved this hotel. The experience was so much fun!!!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Loved the staff. So friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bracken Hide Hotel

Portree

Fun hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cairngorms Guest House

Aviemore

Bed was small for us, but other than that it was a lovely hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Our dinner server was great. I didn't get her name though:(

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tigerlily

Edinburgh

Fun hotel. Location was great. Loved the girl who checked us in and the breakfast servers. So cheerful and friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Grand, York

North Yorkshire

Loved, loved, loved The Grand York. It truly was grand. We loved our server at dinner, Jack. He was so personal and took great care of us.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Jack in the restaurant was wonderful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Belgrave Hotel

London

Loved the location. The bed was a bit small, but other than that, it was great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Free time in Camden Town!

London

Didn't know what to expect. My husband wanted to go to Camden Town because of it's history with the Swinging '60s. It was a wonderfully crazy experience!

Guided Hebridean Farm Hike

Scotland

The whole experience was wonderful. Karen Elwis was so charming and informative. We had such a good time. What she and her husband are doing to preserve their Hebridean Farm is stellar. This experience is a must for any future travelers. Hard for me to put into words how special this was!

Quality of Experience

The whole experience was special. I can't even find the words that would describe it. Magical.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Wish I could give Karen a ten!!!!

A dream trip come true. A couple minor hiccups, however did not diminish overall joy of the trip. The drivers provided were very good. The visit of distilleries were numerous and also outstanding. Most distilleries provided a keepsake. You can trust KimKIm to set up a great trip.

Hotel Review

Glenmoriston Townhouse Hotel

Inverness

Outstanding, an apartment with all amenities included. Clean spacious and wish we had more nights there.

Authenticity & Character

It was extremely useful.

Location

So close to everything.

Staff

All staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super clean and very warming.

Activity Review

Ben Nevis Distillery Tour

Fort William

Wow what a great place to visit. We had a one on one tour guide that crushed it. Got to utilize the “copper dog” ourselves. Generous portions of single malt to taste.

Transport

James our driver on two (2) occasions was incredible. Use his contacts set set up a visit to our number one distillery.

Aleksandra was amazing! She listened to what I wanted and tailored our trip to my specifications. She was readily available before the trip and most certainly during our trip. I cannot say enough about her and KimKim. This is my 2nd trip with your company and I could not be happier.

Our driver to and from the airport, Ili was wonderful punctual and efficient.
Chris, our Edinburgh guide, walking tour was exceptional, full of knowledge, fun to spend several hours with.
Elaine, our guide in Glasgow was every nice, we were probably a little jet lagged though,

Hotel Reviews

Virgin Hotels Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Everyone and everything was amazing!!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Allan Park Hotel

Stirling

Absolutely the BEST!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Locheil Villa Guest House

Fort William

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

There was no staff to interact with!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bracken Hide Hotel

Portree

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bluebell House B&B

Inverness

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kimpton - Blythswood Square Hotel, an IHG Hotel

Glasgow

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

The Vaults Tour

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Edinburgh Old Town Tour

Edinburgh

Our guide was outstanding!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jacobite Steam Train

Scotland

It wasn’t running, replaced with a regular train which was crowded, having to stand. Not a good experience!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Talisker Distillery

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Loop

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Glen Affric, Culloden, and Clava Cairns Tour

Inverness

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Loch Ness Cruise and Urquhart Castle

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Glasgow Essentials Tour

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff